Mistakes: Movement 2
by Hiasobi
Summary: And Naruto and Sasuke are awkward, because Naruto’s never known love and it’s been so long that Sasuke can barely remember. [SasuNaru] [Small NejiHina] The Morning After.


Author's Note: This is my SasuNaru version (not really) of my fic 'Mistakes'. My first attepmt at yoai, please let me know what you think.

Mistake: Movement 2 

Naruto's always been overlooked. No one wanted to see him, figuratively or otherwise. The first time Naruto was old enough to remember and stared into a villager's eyes, all he could see was a coldness that didn't acknowledge him. He has seen much of the same since and too little of anything else. His life is surrounded by coldness, and there's just too little warmth. Whatever warmth he needs, and finds, always has to come from himself.

As Naruto grew, the more he sought acknowledgement and love, the less he found and the more he knew that he wasn't likely to get it. It hurt sometimes when he thought about it. What everyone around him took for granted, he sought desperately to have but was still denied.

Naruto grew up and he's not the same kid as the villagers' think he is anymore. He doesn't make trouble and he doesn't go out of his way to have them all look at him. He's passed the stage of forcing them to look at him, because if they can't see him for who he is, then they just won't.

Naruto's tired of living in the Kyubi's shadow and he won't let them force it on him anymore. He's stopped listening to them a long time ago; there isn't much they can say that he hasn't heard. He's become numb to a lot of things.

Naruto's grown up believing that his existence is worthless. He's grown up thinking that if he wants to be worth something, he's got to do it himself. Others will never give him what he wants.

So Naruto grows up without family, without love, without kindness. There's a loneliness in the place where he lives and an emptiness in the swing where he's placed his heart.

He doesn't say much about what he thinks; he usually covers it with words he doesn't always mean. He's just searching for someone to tell him that it's alright that he's alive. He just wants someone there to tell him that he won't be alone forever. A few kind words that he's never heard and that he wishes for desperately.

So when Iruka protects him and tells him, that yeah, Naruto must have been lonely, Naruto is very happy. He's met someone who understands. When Iruka acknowledges him as not the Kyubi but Uzumaki Naruto, there's a peace that descends on his heart.

This is the beginning of the hope he's given up some long time ago.

Naruto graduates, and deep in his heart, no one is more surprised than he. He has always wanted to graduate; it proved that he was meant for the life of a shinobi. It meant that he wasn't wrong to be where he was; he had a place to find for himself in this world, it was just waiting for him. It makes him so happy.

Naruto's bursting with happiness, but there's no one for him to tell. There's no one waiting for him at home to be proud of him. Naruto's earned that forehead protector, and he clenches it in his hand rigidly.

This is his first step to proving them wrong.

_. : - : ._

Sasuke is used to admiration. He had always admired his older brother and now others admired him. There was a lot of awe and respect, but no love. The girls were just throwing the word around like it was confetti.

Sasuke had grown up seeking his father's approval. Always trying his best, always trying to be better. The Uchiha name was important and he must live up to their expectations. Everyday he felt that his brother was getting farther and farther away, there was nothing he could do to catch up.

He had sought after his fathers' approval, but he never really expected it. It was like a tall-tale sign something was wrong. That somehow, in some way, Itachi had messed up, and now he was being persuaded not to follow in the footsteps he had been crawling in all his life so far. Somehow, it felt good, and bad, and guilty all at the same time.

Sasuke had never known his father's love. His father may have loved him, but it was never shown to him and he sought relentlessly not to be forgotten. His brother on the other hand had always had it, and it had seemed – always will. For his father, there was only room enough to love one son at a time. One respectable Heir at a time.

His mother was caring but a bit distant. Always looking after the house, the garden, the guests. There was never a moment he could really speak to her heart-to-heart. He knew at some level she must love him, but she always followed after his father, and in his heart, there was never any certainty.

The only one he had truly knew and had been certain that loved him, and took time to take care of him, was his older brother. Itachi had looked after him, took care of his training, attended his important events, paid attention to him and took time to acknowledge him as a person – not the spare Heir. Itachi had been his world.

Yet somehow the world always crumbled around those who built it with fabled hands and weak foundations. Sasuke hadn't known if his parents truly loved him, but he loved them – them and his clan. He had been brought up to love his parents and to know the importance of the clan. The clan would not - _must _not - perish under any conditions.

Yet it did. The whole clan. At the hands of the Heir.

And the world Sasuke had built around him for years – all fell to pieces.

He made a promise then – he would avenge those he loved. He would hurt the one that hurt him – even if it's the last person who loved him or who he loved.

The days went by in a blur in the academy. There was nothing interesting he could feel perk his interests, or anyone he felt close to. He had closed off his heart. He had promised himself – no more hurt. If no one got close enough, then when they disappeared on him, he would not be hurt.

It worked until he got pushed onto the Genin team with Naruto. The Dobe. Dead Last. Idiot. Dumbass. He had a whole slew of names to call him, but none of them were pleasant.

It would have been okay if things had stayed that way, him never knowing better. It was all Sakura's fault for telling him about Naruto being alone all his life. Naruto's scorn and pain. The reason for things he did.

It made him understand. It made him realize maybe he wasn't as alone as he thought. Maybe there was someone who understood. That there was someone seeking acknowledgement as much as he was.

The Dobe tripped, tumbled, crawled and pettily got inside his barriers. Somehow with the daily fights, small gestures, and slight understandings, everything started to turn precious. Again. His heart was opening up or they were forcing themselves in, but one way or another they became important to him.

He hated them, because he never knew.

The instant he found out that the stupid idiot meant too much to him, the Dobe was about to die. So what else could he do but jump in and save him. He had stood by and watched his whole clan die. Watched his parents lose their lives. Watched his brother turn his back. He had lost all his important ones already once before, how could he not protect this little idiot who was yearning to be loved just as much as he. How could he not step in and save him when he had the power to?

Idiot.

_. : - : ._

When Iruka acknowledged Naruto, it was the first time in his life he knew someone liked him. Someone thought it was okay for him to live. It was like a candle in the dark. It saved him from the darkness. But sometimes, a single candle is not enough to drive out the pitch-black darkness.

Then Sasuke, stupid-something-stuck-up-his-ass-Sasuke stepped in the line of fire, and took those ice needles for him. How could that asshole do that? Sasuke was selfish and arrogant and couldn't care about anyone but himself. He would even admit it himself.

So why did he step in and save him. Why did he have to sacrifice himself; the praised Uchiha Heir, Genin-of-the-year, Number One Rookie, and all around hateful-but-loved-by-the-girls-and-many-others guy? Why did he step in the way, knowing that the attack was dangerous and powerful and deadly? Why did he step in to save this dead last, stupid, idiotic, worthless and trouble making ninja whom the village would rather see dead - would see his death as a blessing, and everyone would prefer him dead rather than Sasuke.

What was this – real – idiot doing standing there shielding him from the deathblow? What was he trying to do? Confuse Naruto? Tell Naruto he wasn't as despicable as he had been taught? Wasn't as worthless he had always been told? That Naruto's existence wasn't unnecessary?

What was he trying to do? Tell Naruto that it was okay for him to live? That there are people who treasure him, and want him to live on. Beyond being simply acknowledged, he was liked - loved?

The stupid Uchiha.

Staring from the ice-cold ground, body bruised and bleeding and hurting. Staring up at the back he had said would never need protection from, the body and neck pieced with frozen needles that had been intended for him. And the stupid boy didn't even complain, didn't tell him it was a mistake. Didn't say that it should have been him, would have been better if it had been him.

The stupid no-good useless avenger - whom was totally self-absorbed in his own goal -who couldn't give a rat's ass about anyone else. Standing there, dying. Dying for him. Exchanging one life for another, willingly.

How could he not love him?

_. : - : ._

So a few years down the road; after Sasuke has run away and was brought back, after Naruto has left and come back, after they've almost died a few times at the hands of enemies, at the hands of friends, at the hands of betrayers. After they've raged and screamed and understood that no matter what they did nothing in this world was _fair_! They see each other again.

The sun flitters through the blinds in small slits and glares onto Naruto's eyes. He wakes with a blinding headache because, finally - _finally_ – he's been pronounced old enough to have sake (even though technically he's still not but Jiraiya gave him some anyways). There's a pounding in his skull but the Kyuubi feels oddly satisfied and is quiet so he's not going to complain.

The day is new and he has today off. No missions and training only if he wants to. It was his birthday yesterday and he's eighteen now; adult and old and tired. He wants to go back to sleep and turning away from the stale apartment wall; he throws an arm wide to the other side –

And feel warmth.

Solid warmth.

And finds a body curved up gently with a back to his front with silky hair tickling his nostrils and there's not a stitch of clothing between the two of them.

There are muscles - trained and honed - beneath his arm thrown across the waist and the silky hair is raven black in front of his eyes. When Naruto slips the arm up and pulls the body backwards towards him, he feels a distinct lack of female attributes. The back is firm and the muscular thigh that he shifts his own lean leg against is still. He might believe the other was still asleep if the muscles weren't just the tiniest bit too tense, like someone who had been told to relax before a needle and was only half succeeding.

Naruto smirks, brings his other arm around underneath the side, runs his hands up smooth skin and snuggles close. The body is warm and hard and familiar. He's spent months – years – forever, sparring against him, fighting him, and watching him push everyone away. He's grown up with this person inside the body and it's been eons since he was memorizing the range, reach, speed, agility, strength and power of every part of every limb.

" Sasuke?" He asks-but-not-really.

The whole body tenses up and stiffens like a peg of wood. " Hrm…?"

" Good morning." He says customarily.

The boy in his arm relaxes and shifts to turn around to face him. Onyx blue-black eyes stare into his and the pretty face is set in the bored expression it always is when he meets his team at the training grounds to spar.

" Dobe." The raven-haired boy says.

Naruto glares and he could be a lot angrier if there weren't a pair of arms twining around his thin waist and up his back to hold him close.

" Yeah well, how much did _you_ drink last night, Bastard?" He retorts, peeved.

And everything is right between them because nothing has changed and nothing is denied. There is the name-calling that turns swearwords into endearments, and the haughty masks they have on their faces is belied by gentle tugging and the slick slid of skin on skin of their bodies.

" I didn't." The pretty boy drawls and he slides up closer to the fox-carrier. " I don't make it a habit of making a fool of myself."

Naruto pouts like a child he had never been allowed to be. " Yeah, well then you're stupid," He roams his hands up and down Sasuke's back, " because that's probably the only time pervert-sennin is gonna ever treat anyone."

" They'll be other times." Sasuke says, voice bland and drawing closer.

" Teme." Naruto complains. " You're such an asshole."

Their foreheads touch and the Uchiha smirks. " Dobe." He says.

" What?" Naruto asks, staring into the dark blue depths.

" Shut up."

The words are murmurs and Naruto hums because he's not going to take this lying down but lets the other boy kiss him anyways.

(Inside, Kyuubi rolls her eyes and ponders human courtship rituals with amusement.)

And Naruto and Sasuke are awkward; because Naruto's never known love and it's been so long that Sasuke can barely remember.

So they blunder and tumble and trip their way forward. There are too many mistakes to be made and too little words they can use to apologize. It's just not like them to be relenting. They are both stubborn creatures and sometimes that was the worst combination possible.

But they're here and they're together. It's been years spent getting to this point and they're past the stage where they can misunderstand _everything_ the other does. It's only sometimes that they fight and argue and yell from hurt feelings and true wounds in the heart, because they know what is most important to the other.

This situation has been years in the making because honestly, with all the girls chasing after him and Sakura always being there but ignored, people start thinking once in a while. No one will say it out loud but sometimes people muse and are proven true.

Sasuke is an important person to Naruto and he's loved him for so long and deep that he would do anything that it takes to make him happy. If this was how the other boy wants to be loved Naruto will not deny him; because Sakura might be mad but she'll get over it, Kakashi and Iruka might be shocked but they'll understand, and everyone else will be surprised but that doesn't really affect the two of them.

So Naruto moves in with Sasuke to the Uchiha mansion because his apartment is (lonely) crumbling and he won't need to pay rent there.

So Sasuke rumbles and grumbles but quickly gets used to stocking up ramen (which he won't admit he has been doing for years) and enough food for two.

So Naruto puts up a fight and chooses his own big and spacious bedroom but the plans are scarped when (without asking) Sasuke moves in with him. (One day he wakes up and Sasuke stubbornly pretends to be asleep in the bed while Naruto prods and rants about the other boy's clothes in his closet and possessions on his desk.)

So Sasuke rolls his eyes and grunts when Naruto says they should at least get married and ignores Sasuke when he tells him that it's just not –done-, because it's_ Tsunade _and she owes (loves) Naruto enough to make an exception.

So another year down the road and Naruto and Sasuke stand in front of the exasperated Hokage along with the (eloped) Hinata and Neji (who ran away because they didn't want the big formal wedding that the Family was planning for them).

And they stand united, a boy (demon carrier) and a girl (weakling) who will change and lead Konoha towards strength; and two boys (unofficial Heirs and now Heads) who will change all of Clan traditions and lead them towards power.

Tsunade stands proud and sees a brighter Future above their heads then she could have ever imagined.

_. : Ende : ._


End file.
